JURY TAKES JUST 17 MINUTES TO FIND MAN NOT GUILTY OF THEFT

AN Eniscorthy man accused of theft of over €4000 in relation to the purchase of goods has been found not guilty by a jury following 17 minutes of deliberations.

Dermot Corrigan, of Bessmount House, Bessmount, Enniscorthy, pleaded not guilty before Judge Barry Hickson at Wexford Circuit Criminal Court to dishonestly purchasing building materials to the value of €4,235, with the intention of defrauding C&D Providers, Larkins Cross, Wexford, on October 29, 2013.

Prosecuting Counsel Ms Sinead Gleeson told the court that on October 29, 2013, the accused man walked into C&D Providers and purchased some building materials and paid for them by two cheques. These cheques, she said, were not honoured. The gardai obtained the defendant’s bank records which outlined details of his account.

In evidence, credit controller with C&D Providers Pat Brennan told the court the initial cost of the building materials came to €2200. The defendant made a further purchase of €2035 later that day. He paid for both transactions by cheques. The defendant, he said, was a director of Ballaghkeen Construction Ltd., under which he traded.

Replying to Defence Counsel Dylan Redmond, the witness said he made contact with the defendant who had repaid the full amount owed over a period of time.

Mr. Redmond said the defend- ant had undertook work in Portlaoise as well as other work, but was not paid for the work carried out in Portlaoise. At the time he understood he had sufficient funds to meet the cheques.

Det Garda Colm Dunne told the court a search warrant was obtained that enabled him to carry out a full investigation into the defendant’s bank account. He met with the defendant at Wexford Garda Station where he was interviewed in relation to the cheques. The defendant stated in his interview he was not aware that there was no money in the bank account to honour the cheques.

John Wall said he worked for Mr. Corrigan as foreman. They had carried out renovation works in Portlaoise for which stage payments were to be made but were not paid.

Dermot Corrigan (46) in evidence told the court his company is now in liquidation. He said he is now working for himself with some jobs on hand. Regarding the work in Portlaoise he said the monies were to be paid in various stages but were not paid.

When he wrote the two cheques for C&D he thought there was sufficient funds in the bank account. He also said that the monies owed had been repaid in full.

Replying to Mr. Redmond the defendant said he did not intend to commit the crime of theft.

After 17 minutes of deliberations the jury returned a not guilty verdict.